Last Straw
by Phoxy-Kitsune
Summary: Hiei working for a human? To kill a demon lord? Bakusu hires the fire-youkai to kill the Demon lord who lives in the forest next to his home, but after the deed is done, what kind of suprise will the human have instored for him, and what secret is hidde


Final Straw

**Chapter one: Fighter for Hire**

What's the most important thing to Hiei Jangashi? His pride and his honor no doubt. It's always been his pride and his honor, which mingled together, building up the man he was to this day.

He followed a strict code of honor. Fighting for what he viewed as right, sticking by those he is loyal to till the end. No matter the cost, or the loss.

Protecting the one's he loves, and keeping all secrets bestowed upon him to his grave. Swear words were beneath him, left for the honor-less cowards such as the humans. Plans and tactics were worth while and useful in battle, but aren't always necessary.

Let sleeping dogs lie and the weak die. Don't give into temptation, hold your ground. Keep your eye on the prize, don't get distracted by bribes. Go for what you want, don't settle for less.

Never fall below what you know you are capable of, and don't stoop to someone's level. Face your problems, don't hide in the dark. Never stab someone in the back, attack from where they can see you.

All very important unwritten clauses of his life style. Nothing could possibly stop him from following it. He could always keep his nose clean and out of trouble if he wished, but on top of all this, he was a risk taker.

He loved to look for new things to try, new challenges to face, new prizes to win, treasures to steal, demons to kill. It was all about the thrill. Being able to get what you want because of what you do, and what your actions are.

The only thing he really had a weakness to was someone lower than him begging for help. He could care less if they were begging for mercy, he'd kill them in a heart beat, scum like that didn't deserve to breath the same air as him, but if they asked for help?

That's what happened. A man, a human, came and sought him out and asked for his help, at his door, of his home.

"Please, you're my only hope. This demon is worse than any other, and I have heard how you love to fight the strongest for fun…"

This was perfect. Hiei would be able to get in a good kill, and be home on time to see his sister before she went back to her home.

He was feeling a little restless anyway. Why not let out a little steam, and knock out a scum wad of a youkai in the process.

"Brother?" Came a female's voice from inside. She stepped into view from the door, her pale blue hair hung down at shoulders length. "Who's this?" she asked looking at the man.

"It's no one Yukina, go back to bed." Hiei answered bluntly. He wouldn't be able to do this if she found out. She'd probably protest about it, and tell him to leave the nice' demon lord alone.

"I'm Bakusu Takamanstu ma'am. I need help with a demon…" The man informed.

Yukina blinked at him, and then steered her gaze at her brother, "You're doing more assassin work?"

"I'm not an assassin." Hiei corrected.

"Fighter for Hire then?" She asked calmly. She didn't understand her brother, or anything else he did. It had only been a month or so since she even found out that he was her brother.

It hadn't been all that easy to figure out either. Hiei had had his friends help him out by not telling her. Keeping her in the darkness of a lie, and hid the light of truth behind locked doors.

Thank Kami Botan had a big mouth and accidentally let it slip while talking with Yusuke. Of course, at the time, she had to question its liability, but when she asked Hiei herself he told her everything.

Why he hadn't told her sooner was beyond her, and she may never understand him. But, now she has the chance to try.

Hiei rolled his eyes at her earlier comment. "Whatever. Fine, fighter for hire."

The man looked at Hiei, "So you will do it?" He asked, looking even more pitiful than before. His shaggy cloths, and dirt smudged face didn't help his complex much either.

"Hn." Was his suitable answer to that lame question. He used this little syllable many times and very often just to see how peoples minds work. In this case, the guy could take that as a no' or a yes' depending on if he was a pessimist or an optimist.

And it looked like the glass was half empty with this guy.

"I'll pay you anything you want. Any some of money any form of treasure at all." This man was desperate apparently. Judging by his choice of attire he wasn't wealthy and didn't seem to have connections at all.

"How much?" Hiei asked just wondering what this worthless dummy was trying to pull, and, yes, ok he was looking to see what he could get out of it.

"Eighty thousand yen. Up front if you want. Just please kill this demon." The man pleaded, "That is all the money I have saved up for this year…" he added hopping for a bit more sympathy.

Hiei thought about it. Eighty thousand yen wasn't that bad, and for such a task… "And all I have to do, is kill this scummy lord, and never see you in my sight for the rest of my life." Which will by far out last his anyway.

"Yes, of coarse." The man agreed reassuringly.

"And I get paid up front…?" Hiei asked raising a brow at the guy before him. Bakusu reached into the inside of his jacket and pulled out an envelope and handed it to Hiei.

"It's all there. You can count it if you want." Bakusu stated.

"I will…" Hiei said taking the envelope.

Yukina stepped forth, "Please come in Takamanstu-san. We can work out the details inside." Her smile was warm, and her voice was soft. Her skin looked softer, and she smelled sweet as well.

Bakusu smiled back at her as he answered.

"Thank you miss." Bakusu stepped in threw the door slipping off his sandals before so.

"Please call me Yukina." The blue haired girl said with another heart filled smile.

"Yes Yukina-sama, I will" He and the two demons sat down at a nice little table, and the demon Hiei counted the money.

"Well…there is exactly Eighty-thousand yen." Hiei agreed looking up at Bakusu. He didn't' like the looks of this guy. And he really didn't like the way he looked at Yukina. And he especially didn't like the guys eyes or full personality.

He was too polite for a human, and too well kept and knowing of the demon race.

He nodded, "Of course. So, will you do it?" Bakusu's eyes were seeping with the words of an unwritten plea for help.

"Who am I being sent to kill?" Hiei asked, just needing to know his enemy a bit more first before willy-nilly taking a job to kill it.

"Lord Yarumeka. He runs the territory by my town, and he's out to kill me and my family as well." Bakusu informed the fire youkai before him.

"Why?" Hiei asked bluntly.

"Because our home is on the skirts of his forest. He says we know too much and blabs on and on about how we shouldn't' live. We haven't done anything to harm him in anyway before now." The scrappy looking human said, fear and desperation behind his green eyes.

There was something forbidding about this whole set up. Something didn't' feel right at all. Hiei looked at the money and thought over the circumstances of this situation, and the risks.

If he took this he would be working for a human against a demon lord. That wasn't something he was willing to do.

Humans had the tendency to work on his nerves and make him end their lives all too quickly, and he was demon and with the already building tension coming from the demon community at him for helping that detective threw the tournament, this was proving to look less important and amusing by the second.

"You poor thing…" Yukina said lightly, "And this lord just comes after you and your family because of where your home lays…" Pity shown in her soft complexion, and her eyes shown with sorrow for him.

Hiei noticed it and before he could protest she tore the legs out right underneath his argument.

"We'll help you." She set him up in the sum of three words.

"Yukina-" Hiei started, looking at his sister, but was cut off by their guest.

"Thank you so much. I can't express how much this means to me." He smiled widely, and kindly with great happiness that hadn't been seen from him for the longest time.

Bakusu looked absolutely stunned with glee.

Hiei gave his sister a what-were-you-thinking' glare, which was so sweetly replied with a helping-him-wont-be-that-bad' smile.

Hiei sighed and looked at Bakusu who, if he were outside, would probably be doing cartwheels right about now.

"You'll lead me there." Hiei said standing up from the table.

Bakusu nodded and stood up as well, "Of course."

"You're leaving now?" Yukina asked looking between the two boys in the kitchen.

Hiei looked at her, "I'll be back in time to see you off." He and Bakusu started heading for the door.

"I'm coming with you."

Oh boy, not the best four words she could have snapped over Hiei's head at that moment.

It was bad enough he was once more turning against the demon's race by working for a human, bad enough that he was set up to do this by a girl, let along this girl be his younger sister, and extremely bad enough that this was taking a toll on his mental state, knocking down the little bar on the charts of his mind labeled pride by a few notches.

But, now his sister was going to try to wriggle her way into coming.

"No, it's too dangerous." Hiei said looking back at her.

"I don't care, you two will probably get hurt and I'll be needed to help you. I'll just follow you anyway." She added. She was always full of these little surprises.

You wouldn't expect a soft-spoken person like her to be so stubborn and cunning at the same time. And yet, she was as such, constantly.

Hiei sighed. Where she got these little ideas and plans was beyond him. Maybe she hung out with Shizuru too much after all. Well, time to take that little bar labeled pride down a notch, "fine." He turned and walked out of the house, not at all happy.

He now had a job to do, more than one if you were to really think about it.

One, he had to kill a demon lord in a demon forest surrounded and populated by demons who greatly respected his target.

That alone was hard enough but now he also had to make sure that he could even find this demon lord on top of it all.

Two, he had to work for a human. Which really sucked since he hated the entire ningen race to begin with. And the detective really didn't count seeing that he wasn't all human anyway.

And on top of these two, he had to watch out for his sister. Yukina had always been his major priority, but now when she was putting her life in danger, and he could have had a say in it, really took the cake.

He should have told her no, don't follow us or you'll be the first demon I kill tonight. But he really couldn't bring himself to tell her that. She meant to much to him, and the thought of him killing her was so far beyond unlikely it was more likely for him to adopt Kuwabara as his loving' son.

So, now he had to watch out for her well-being, as well as his own. There's nothing like having to take everyone's life into your hands and throw caution to the wind for their sakes.

This wasn't suppose to be this hard, and he didn't like the idea of being a Fighter for Hire. It didn't really suit him that well and he didn't' like the feeling. The only reason he agreed to this was because of Yukina.

And after tonight, she would be going home, and he would be able to get back to turning every low life down. But for now he had deal with the present situation. Just great. The things she gets me into…' He thought dully to himself.

Last Straw

**Chapter 2:Preparations**

It had been a few hours before the little town started to come into view from the top of their most recently climbed hill. It was quite, quaint, and a bit old-fashioned.

Free of modern technology. One of those kinds of towns that refuse to adapt to new age anything, you know. Thinking that it be evil.

It was getting darker out as well, night was approaching and soon would be the perfect time to storm the forest after that oh so loved demon lord.

There were good sides to it being so dark out such as the fact that there was less chance of being seen, and it was more than likely to be easier that way, and that the forest was usually calmer at night. There never have been as many nocturnal demons as day time demons, and probably never would be.

"When you said town, you never mentioned how far away it was." Hiei said out of annoyance and slight boredom. So far this had been a complete and utter waste of his time.

How on earth was he suppose to let off some steam when there was nothing to take it out on. Right now Bakusu was starting to wear on his nerves, and soon would been his new target for the night if they didn't get there soon.

"It's just on the other side of this town. I promise." Bakusu reasoned. It wasn't his fault they never asked the question of distance now was it.

Yukina just gracefully walked behind the two feuding boys. She loved the look of the town, a town of history, a town of custom, a town of old. Who knew how long it had been here. It was so small, as if it hadn't changed in a forever or two.

The houses were old style Japanese homes built up from the ground by the hands of hard workers and fighters of the past, probably the ancestors of who ever inhabited the wonderfully crafted homes today.

You had to appreciate the ones who honored the past by living as they did so many years ago. It had to be more work than the people of the cities could imagine, and Yukina just found it fantastic that you could still find some people to this day were keeping it up, and not forgetting their heritage. Even she had adapted to new-age technology and didn't know how she would live with out it.

But, to these people new-age technology was still the pulley.

The three of them walked threw the dusk lit town. There seemed to be no other villagers out at this time surprisingly so, and the few who were seemed to avoid them completely. As if Hiei and Yukina were the cause of their hardships and problems.

Though, if they had any spiritual awareness they would sense demon, and that would be an excusable reason to feel so crass against them.

It was also a strong sign of bigotry as well.

A small hut appeared as they seemingly left the village. It was separate from the other buildings, like it wasn't considered a part of the town at all. "This is my home." Bakusu informed, as they got closer to the hutch.

"And that's the forest then?" Yukina asked softly as she looked up at the trees about fifty meters away from them now.

"Yes." Bakusu informed, "I shall take you to the lord now if you wish." He added looking at Hiei.

Hiei frowned slightly. The forest was crawling with demon aura. "I can go alone."

"There is a strait away shot to the lords chambers. If you don't follow it you shall surely parish like so many others. My own brother died going in after him." Bakusu said.

He seemed to have the slight tendency to give more information that what was necessary, thinking he was always trying to prove a point, even if there was to be no point to prove.

"Your brother was human. Unless there was some other information about your brother that gave him more strength than that, I'm not surprised." Hiei said calmly, still keeping his eyes on the dark looking trees.

There seemed to be a soft whisper looming from them, even though no words could be ciphered from the silent calling.

Bakusu lowered his head a bit, "My brother was a fool. And I fear for your lives. Demon or not you are in grave danger if you do not know the way."

Yukina responded this time with a warm smile of appreciation, "Thank you Bakusu. We will gladly accept your guidance to the lords home."

Hiei nearly fell over. "Yukina, we can find it on our own."

"Why take more risk if we don't have to. Besides, the sooner we are to get this over with, the sooner we can go home." Yukina said in her all knowing tone.

Hiei opened, closed, opened, and closed his mouth again. An argument just on the tip of his tongue, but it just didn't' want to lash out at her. "Hn." Yea…that showed her a thing or two…

Bakusu smiled, "Good. Let me just grab a few things and we'll be off." He disappeared into the hutch leaving Yukina and Hiei alone outside.

"Did you have to do that?" Hiei asked looking at his sister.

"Are you going to be difficult about it? He's trying to help, it isn't going to kill you to accept it." Yukina reasoned with her brother.

No...But it's killing my pride.' Our beloved fire youkai thought to himself out of pure annoyance. He hated this, he hated this more than words could ever describe.

"I'm ready." Bakusu said as he came out of the hutch. He had a kantana at his side, as well as two daggers in his boots.

"Do you need those? I'm the one doing the killing." Hiei scoffed at the sight of the peasant. The sword didn't suit him at all, and the dagger hilts made his legs look funny.

"Just a precaution." Bakusu said waving the fire-youkai's concern away.

Without another word the small group of three headed off down a roughly determined dirt path leading into the dark forest.

They traveled lightly, none of them making any noise as they walked. Which was surprising on account that Bakusu was human, he was very graceful. And, it seemed a bit unnatural for such a race of being to be as such.

They continued, moving threw the rough terrain and thick trees that seemed to be older than time itself.

This was a very ancient forest, and that would explain why demons thrived here. They were attracted to the energy that had been so purely produced over the ages, and that would lead to other problems as well.

They're everywhere…' Hiei thought to himself as they continued making their way threw the bushes and brush. Demons, hundreds of them…why aren't they attacking.' It was almost like they were just letting them pass threw.

They must have been commanded to do so. Their dark calls in the Makai tongue could be picked out from the chilling darkness in near silent whispers, as if they were longing for the small group to perish, wishing death upon their souls, and cursing their well being.

The only possible explanation for them to be holding off as such must have been their lord, Yarumeka.

Boy, wont they just be kicking themselves when he becomes nothing more than a bloody butchered carcass in the midst of his own realm.

Hiei smirked. It had been awhile since his last real kill. To actually have to put an effort into the fight, making the death of his enemy more worthwhile.

He was only hoping that this time he wouldn't be disappointed. Hoping that this might actually be worth his time.

Hoping his sister had gotten him into something actually worth something. Sure there was eighty thousand yen sitting at home on his table, but that wasn't anything compared to the thrill of a good fight.

Any decent demon knew that. Even hanyou's knew that, but humans seemed to wallow in fear and precaution as well as paranoia, and that always held them back from reaching their best potential all to easily. Very few could ever understand the unique rush of a real battle, knowing that you could fail, that the opponent is stronger than you, and yet you still pull threw in the end with a blood rage driven victory.

That was pure bliss, the feeling of a good meaningful kill.

But, the fact still remained that humans were weak, and because of their weaknesses it puts a greater damper the respect and reputation among the demon race. A lot.

The lush surroundings started to thin as the path started to widen, showing that it was used a bit more from here on out. They were drawing nearer to Lord Yarumeka's dwelling, and that was sure all right with Hiei.

They crossed into a stone looking floor, there was dirt covering the old ruin grounds and there were vines twisting towards the old looking building before them.

"He's in there." Bakusu informed the two demons behind him.

"Good." Was all Hiei said as he drew his kantana from it's sheath and charged the building at god like speeds.

"Be careful." Yukina said after her brother. There wasn't much she could do but wait for him to return. She started walking up to the stone stairs, planning to watch her brother fight.

"Wait! You shouldn't go in there. It's dangerous." Bakusu said as he gently took Yukina's arm turning the ice-apparition around.

"I want to see him fight. I'll be fine." Yukina told Bakusu with a light smile.

Bakusu thought about this a moment, "Fine, but I'm coming with you. Just incase."

Yukina's smile broadened a bit, "Thanks ever so much."

With that little phrase said and spoken the two of them worked their way substantially slower than Hiei had done just seconds before.

This wasn't a battle to miss…

Last Straw

**Chapter 3:Death of Two demons**

Lord Yarumeka lazily sat in his throne of a chair at the center of the farthest wall. It was a lazy day, and there wasn't much that happened at all. No villagers had wandered into his domain, so that meant no mauling. No kids had played too close to the forest, and that meant no dinner.

He was so bored. There was no one around to talk with seeing that all of his advisors had left for the night to run havic on whom ever they wished. He was stuck here however. He wasn't aloud to leave, or sleep for that matter. He was a lord. And he took that to a whole new level of responsibility.

When someone came to him with a problem, he would either correct it, or kill the demon to put them out of their misery. If a human were to come to him, he would eat them before even one word came out of their pathetic mouths.

Humans were Lord Yarumeka's worst enemy. Especially those demon hunters. They terroriesed his home, his family, his friends. Usually day in and day out. Thank Kami for the fact that the last time such a vile human walked here he had scared it off. Hopeful to never return.

There wasn't much to do now though. Since the raids from the humans stopped, there was little to no excitement in this temple. Lord Yarumeka was just too deep in the woods for a human to just happen by'. It never happened.

And, so he sat. Lightly humming a tune in his head, and tapping his foot to it. It was dimly lit in the place. Though, it always was. No sunlight could ever loom threw the thick twisted tree branches of his forest. He kinda hated it really. It had been so long since he had seen the sunlight. It had been even longer since he had been aloud to see it. So long his eyes had forgotten what it could have looked like, or how warm it felt. All those small little memories lost over the long drug out years.

He was getting old. He knew it, and he wouldn't deny it. He was only thirty-nine thousand seven-hundred and eighty-two. He didn't look it though. More along the lines of 22 or so in human years. Though, most demons never make it to his age, or to his strength, he couldn't even consider himself lucky.

Lord Yarumeka had taken training sessions as a child, but he'd never really been in a life or death situation. He considered himself a form of coward. Being locked away like he was, no one really could ever threaten him. The spells keeping him in this horrid place were the only reason he was really alive to this day, and he knew it.

Though, he wasn't too happy about that fact. He wasn't so cowardly to take his own life either, he had more pride than that. He would die in battle, no matter what. And the only way to ensure that was to break the retched curse. But until he can find the effort to do so, he just sits lazily in his chair. He has no reason to look for a way to break such a thing. Why? Because it's futile. A demon-hunter-pristess from the village had made sure that he wouldn't' be able to do it on his own.

The curse was meant to make him forget his thoughts if he were to start thinking about escaping. And with that, he can't really think of a way to break it, or if he did, he'd just forget.

Lord Yarumeka yawned. Such a horrid time to yawn. So long it had been since he had last slept, and so much longer it will be until he finally has the chance to do so. He reached up and brushed a bit of his pitch black hair away from his face. His orange eyes lazily rested at half open/half closed as he listened to the sounds of night threw the open window.

"Lord Yarumeka I presume?" Came a voice from the shadows. The lord sat up and looked around. No one could be seen to his eyes, and he had pretty damn good ones as well.

"Who wants to know?" Yarumeka asked. His voice was a bit scratchy due to the fact that he never really had people or demons to talk to. Except for himself, but we all know how that always turns out…

"You needen't know my name. You wont be alive long enough to remember it anyway." Came that cocky voice once more. It echoed lightly off the walls of the empty room, lingering from the shadows that lay around the throne.

"I prefer to have a name to take to my grave then." Yarumeka replied. He found this amusing really. Someone come to kill him? This should be fun while it lasts. Though, if it is a human it wont last long.

A figure lightly stepped into the dim torch light. His face staying shadowed but it was still enough to make out the opponents structure. Whom ever it was, was short. There was spiky gravity deifying hair and crimson eyes that leered out on their own, generating their own demon light, "I'm Hiei Jangashi."

"Nice to see you then." Yarumeka said presently. What kind of joke was this, "I am Lord Yarumeka."

"Then you are dead." With out another moment Hiei seemingly disappeared.

Lord Yarumeka sighed and just as Hiei was bringing down his blade over the demon-lords head, Yarumeka stood up lazily. Hiei's sword hit the stone throne and demolished it into rubble. The young lord looked back at the place he had just been sitting and sighed half-heartedly, "Now look what you've done…"

"I haven't done anything yet…" Hiei removed his blade from the hard stone and charged at the Lord with his famous speed with a slightly attacking grunt as he puts forth effort into his swing this time.

Lord Yarumeka's eyes widened a bit as he witnessed this small demons speed and he quickly drew his own sword just in time to defend himself. His hand nearly getting lost in the process, he thinks to himself a bit in the second of battle, This is real…he's not just messing around with me..'

Hiei scoffed slightly as he rearranged his footwork, bringing his sword away from Yarumeka's and swiftly cutting threw the air for the next attack focused at the Lords' neck.

Yarumeka took a step backwards to buy him the extra split-second he needed to raise the sword up to block once more. He looked at Hiei, his orange eyes meeting the demons crimson. This was a mistake.

Hiei smirked. He could see the fear in the lords eyes, "Not ready to die yet?" He then brought his sword back once more, "Too bad for you then." He swung his sword seemingly from the right in a blurred illusion, and with this set, Yarumeka went to block from that side, as Hiei himself ran his blade threw the lord on the left.

The tip of Hiei's sword entered Yarumeka's body just under the rib cage, it was done as such speeds that there was a slight vacuum effect. The lords lower three ribs cracked audibly, seemingly in slow motion. His eyes widened as his brain registered the pain he felt. The blade continued, ripping threw the lower half of his muscle, and left lung, more pain searing from the lords body and he gasps at a near scream from it. His voice box seemed to not be working, or it surely would have been a scream.

Yukina entered the room just in time to witness such a sight. Her eyes slightly widened with a twinge of horror. She could see the blood falling from the demon-lords body in a spray of dark red. She raised a hand to her mouth to keep her gaping at a lower level of notice to those around her.

Bakusu entered soon after Yukina, he had just been behind her after all. And a light smile formed as he thought, he did it….that fire-youkai really did it…my job is over'.

Hiei finished bringing his blade threw the Lords side His own face was tinged lightly from the demons blood that had randomly sprayed in his direction. He turned and looked down at the kneeling Yarumeka and walked casually around to the front of the lord as he thought to himself, What an embracement. A lord so easy to take down. I had more excitement with watching Kuwabara eat…'

"P-please…just…k-k-kill me…" Yarumeka managed to stutter out. Blood was flowing freely from his side. It warmly oozed thick rich near black liquid down the demon-lords leg until it rested to pool on the hard stone floor. He coughed a bit, and blood lightly tinkled down from the corner of his mouth.

Hiei scoffed again with a hn' and raised his blade to Yarumeka's throat, "Tell me first why you have been terrorizing the villages. Not that I care…I'm just curious." Hiei's crimson eyes were glaring coldly down at the demon-lord.

"I..w-wasn't. Th-that village is-s-s f-full of-f d-demon…"

"Silence him now you fool!" Bakusu said in out rage. "He's full of tricks and is only looking for a way to deceive you. Don't let him speak lies!"

Yukina watched her brother and the demon-lord. She didn't know what to really think at the moment. This was horrible, not that she hadn't seen it before. But to see that happen this close…was terrifying. And, she wasn't even in danger.

"I…d-do not…lie…d-demon-hunt-ters. Of all k-kinds…..l-live in that…village…th-there are n-no others…." Yarumeka coughed again, more blood falling from his mouth, but it didn't match the pain he felt by a long shot. Every cough hurt just as bad as the wound first had when it had been made. A dark bloody tear fell from his eye, "I..t-told you…..n-now…end th-this.."

Hiei frowned a bit. This didn't make any sense nor did he care. An evil demon lord was a demon-lord. He took his blade and ran it swiftly threw the lords neck. Cutting threw the windpipe and the veins that reside there. He pulled the blade out with the same grace and Yarumeka fell over limply. Death taking over his now dull orange eyes.

Yukina took a step towards her brother, "Hiei.. If it's a demon-hunter village then that means that Bak-ehhaa.." She was cut off at mid sentence as someone from behind her ran a blade threw her stomach.

Hiei looked up just in time to see the blood start to stain Yukina's blue kimono. His eyes widened in horror "Yukina!" Hiei flashed over to his sister panic being his main leading emotion as he looked at the blade residing in her stomach. But, anger flared as he saw the man wielding it behind her.

Bakusu pulled his dagger from the girl and pushed her forward into Hiei. He licked the blood from the blade sinisterly. His once soft expression grown cold, and his eyes heartless. "Oops…I tripped…"

Hiei caught Yukina in his arms as she fell towards him. He looked down at her and his eyes lightly brimmed with tears. She wasn't going to make it. There was no way. The blade used was a double sided razor dagger. The cuts were too precise and too deep. The bleeding would kill her before even though actual damage would.

Yukina gasped as she took in another breath. It hurt to breath, it hurt to move, and it hurt to even have her heart pulsing in her chest. Her eyes were closed from the pain, and tear gems were forming on the ground mixing with her own blood. She starts to feel cold as her warm blood leaves her….

Hiei cupped his sisters cheek in his hand softly, "Yukina……don't die……" his tears fall turning to black crystal gems as the hit the ground with a light tink' against the hard stone floor.

Bakusu rolled his eyes, "Oh how humble this is…tear?" he reaches his hand up and wipes away an invisible tear feigningly.

Yukina grabbed a hold of her brothers shirt as another pang rushed threw her body, she drew in another hard breath, "Hi-ei….." more tears of hers fall to the ground and more gems scatter across the area. With one final breath she finally just lets go. The pain too intense to breath once more, the cold sick black that moved over her spreading cold threw out her body. Her body stills and her eyes dim from the life they once possessed…

"Yukina…?………..YUKINAAAaahh…"

Yukina grabbed a hold of her brothers shirt as another pang rushed threw her body, she drew in another hard breath, "Hi-ei….." more tears of hers fall to the ground and more gems scatter across the area. With one final breath she finally just lets go.

The pain too intense to breath once more, the cold sick black that moved over her spreading cold threw out her body. Her body stills and her eyes dim from the life they once possessed…

"Yukina…?………..YUKINAAAaahh…" Hiei screamed out into the long echoing halls of the fallen ruins, cradling his now dead sister in his arms, his cheeks dampened by a dim grey streak of liquid that rand down them, his eyes widened slightly as he touched his hand to the wound residing at Yukina's stomach, just to pull it back, viewing the thick crimson blood that clung to his skin sickeningly.

Hiei closed his eyes for a moment, two more tears spilling from his crimson eyes, tink'ing to the hard stone ground once more. A burning rush tickled at the back of his throat, creeping up to his nose. He felt his body shake slightly and another tear snuck out from behind his closed eye.

Bakusu crossed his arms across his chest. He still was holding the bloody blade in his right hand as he looked down at the two siblings, one dead, one about to join her.

There was something disappointing about this kill. It wasn't satisfying seeing as how the fire-Koorime just seemed to have given up like that.

Bakusu had surely thought that Hiei would have wanted to fight more than ever at this point, apparently, it just closed the demon off.

It was true, his entire village was of demon hunters. His assignment had been to kill the demon lord, but, a few extra demon heads would get him much more money that he would get just for the one.

Three heads was worth a hell of a lot now a days, especially with the growing rate of the demon population, and the declining rate of the demon hunter's population.

This would work.

Bakusu pulled his katana from his back in utter silence, the kind of draw that was either practiced, or sheer skill. This was hours upon hours of practiced. The demon-hunter slipped the blood covered blade back into it's place with out having to look, once again in pure silence. Practice, practice, practice.

The demon-hunter moved closer to Hiei, stepping with uncanny silence that only demons should posses. But the human still ended up walking in utter silence, moving his way over to Hiei's right hand side. He raises the blade slightly and over to the side, he could take the head in one swift swing.

Bakusu raised the blade a bit more and brought it around in a swift smooth glide threw the air, cutting threw the nothingness with grace. And, nothingness was all he cut.

Hiei blurred back four feet and had his own sword drawn, and still had managed to find time to gracefully set his sister's body down gently on the stone ground. The fire-Koorime's eyes were swelled with a gleaming rage that poured out into the room like a thick rushing liquid drenching the air thickly making it harder to take in air.

Bakusu looked at the fire demon and positioned his sword once more; "It would have been more painless if you had just held still."

"You killed her, your pathetic life is mine." Hiei's voice was strong and unstrained despite the tears rolling down his face and the pain he felt in his chest. Battle point for him.

"And you're head is mine." Bakusu said confidently as he charged at Hiei with that same un-human grace that was smooth as silk, and as deadly as rattlesnake venom. Bakusu's eyes were cold and heartless, he could kill and kill and never lose sleep over it. He had the eyes of a poker player, and the skills of a monster. Great.

Hiei dodged the frontal assult by bringing his sword around and knocking the strait ahead blade that was pointed tip first at his chest off course to the right of him, following threw with the momentum and managing to angle the blade of the sword downward as he took a step with his right foot to cut behind the human's left knee. Splitting the ligaments and muscle behind there.

Bakusu screamed out from pain as the sharp sting registered with his brain. He whirled to his left and dropped down slightly because of his newly accumulated injury and shot his blade upward aiming for Hiei's throat. He missed his target as the fire demon dodged to the right, but he managed to angle it just in time to save some of the nearly wasted umph' to slash the blade deeply across Hiei's left arm as it retreated after the body to the right.

Hiei winced as he felt that tingling searing of pain from the cut and the thick warm crimson blood trailing down his flesh soon afterwards. He reached up and grabbed his blade two-handed and with god-like speed he thrust the blade deep into Bakusu's chest hilt-deep so that their faces were so close, you'd think something else was going on if you hadn't know what had actually happened.

Bakusu's eyes swelled with pain and a sudden fear that he hadn't had before. He winced as Hiei jerked the blade upward, carving threw his body as if it were a tough steak on a silver platter delivered overly cooked.

"You are the reason demons despise humans." Hiei jerked the hilt once more and was almost satisfied as the demon-hunter gasped out of pain. "Burn in hell." He ripped the blade out from Bakusu's body with a shhhhink' sound as the blade ran up against a few ribs in the process, just causing Bakusu to give a shuddered scream of agony before he re introduced the demon-hunter to his blade by cutting the head of said beast with one single swift stroke.

Hiei's eyes were hard once more as blood spewed from the neck and landed all over his face and chest area, and as the body fell, the more blood got on him, coating his clothes and his showing paled skin. He felt the thick crimson liquid run down his face freely, and he couldn't care less.

Bakusu's head rolled a couple yards away from its body. The human was dead no doubt about that. But, the harm had already been done, and the loss had already been tallied.

Hiei sheathed his sword, blood and all, and glanced back over at the body that had once been name Yukina in life. He felt that burning feeling at the back of his throat near his nose torturing him once again. Begging him to just let himself cry. His right hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he moved over to Yukina's corps once more. He wouldn't cry again. He already had tonight. That was more than he had ever done, and what made it worse, it had been in front of the same bastard who killed her.

He shook his head slightly, he had been staring at the pretty mass of blue lifeless hair atop of Yukina's head. He kneeled down and brushed his left had lightly down her face closing her open shocked eyes that would haughty his nightmares for weeks, months, and probably years to come.

Yukina looked at peace really. If you ignored the cool blood at her stomach you would have thought her to be sleeping. A very deep sleep. Very deep indeed.

Hiei put his arms around his fallen sister and raised her up from the ground with ease. He held back his tears, thought it was made harder at the feel of her limp body as he held her up. He needed to get her somewhere other than this. She needed a proper burial. Hell, she shouldn't have even been dead damn it.

Hiei walked off. He didn't run. He didn't think he could have if he wanted too. His body was so confused, pained, he just couldn't have. So he walked off, and as he did so, a trail of dark tear gems formed along the grassy path in which he took out of the forest and towards home.


End file.
